Context

The Government launched the ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA)’ to boost employment and livelihood opportunities for migrant workers returning to villages, in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

About

• The "Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan" is a programme to generate employment opportunities in rural India for migrant workers returning home amid the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown.
• The initiative was flagged off from village Telihar, Block Beldaur, district Khagaria, Bihar.
• This Abhiyaan of 125 days, will work in mission mode, will involve focused implementation of 25 categories of works/ activities in 116 districts, each with a large concentration of returnee migrant workers in following 6 states.
  
  
• Nodal agency: The Ministry of Rural Development is the nodal Ministry for this campaign and the campaign will be implemented in close coordination with the State Governments.
  • Central Nodal Officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above will be appointed to oversee the effective and timely implementation of various schemes in the identified districts. 
• Work areas: The government has identified 25 work areas for employment in villages, for the development of various works.
  • These 25 works or projects are related to meet the needs of the villages like rural housing for the poor, Plantations, provision of drinking water through Jal Jeevan mission,  Panchayat Bhavans, community toilets, rural mandis, rural roads, other infrastructure like Cattle Sheds, Anganwadi Bhavans etc.

Significance of the Scheme

• Opportunity of employment: The basket of a wide variety of works will ensure that each migrant worker is able to get an opportunity of employment according to his skill, in the coming 125 days.

Beneficial over a longer-term: The Program will also prepare for expansion and development of livelihoods over a longer-term.